Rev. Tolbert disclosing assets the family has for the Baptist Convention and the Liberian people

Tolbert Family Gives to Liberia

Sun, 04/06/2014 - 14:08admin1

By:

Joaquin Sendolo

The family of slain President William R. Tolbert has disclosed an amount of money and other valuable assets for the benefit of Liberia and Liberians.

Disclosing the family’s plan for Liberian people on March 31, William R. Tolbert, III said US$2,000 has been set aside by the family to be given the Liberian Baptist Missionary & Education Convention for scholarship.

Mr. Tolbert said the commitment of US$2,000 to the Baptist Convention was based on consultation and consensus, and the amount shall be available by April 15, 2014.

He said the fund is intended to facilitate the scholarship fund drive organized by the president of the Baptist Convention at the Centennial Pavilion sometimes last year.

Mr. Tolbert added that the family is also undertaking a Presidential Library, Museum and Research Center where Liberians will go to get information that should be of use to them.

“The Tolbert Family has a memorial scholarship program for the benefit of Liberians, and May 13th this year we are certain that names of those to benefit will be brought out,” Rev. Tolbert said.

According to Rev. Tolbert, the family has also donated 30 acres of land in Bentol to the Government of Liberia for the purpose of a Zoological and Technical Garden.

He said consultations are being held with the Vice President of Liberia, the Governance Reform Commission, and other stakeholders, to resolve all issues related to the land so that it can be surveyed.

He also said that they are in consultation with a family operating a zoo in Lakpazee to build some understanding as to how they can work together to create a bigger zoo that would allow Liberians to see and learn about animals.

He said the land is already being turned over to the government and they are hoping that the survey be done by the end of this year.

William R. Tolbert, Jr. in whose memory the family is donating these assets was assassinated in 1980 on April 12. He also had served as president of the Baptist Convention.

In response to this gesture by the family, the current president of the convention, Dr. Olu Q. Menjay mentioned that April 12, 1980 still rings in the memories of Baptists; something he said they can let go of but cannot forget---and will never be forgotten in history.

When Rev. Tolbert was contacted for an interview to give some reasons for the initiatives, he said the time was not ripe to grant an interview.

Some Baptists in reaction to the gesture said that it was a difficult thing for a man in the flesh to do as such an incident hardly ever goes away.